I told him to stay but he wants to join Man Utd this January – Fred confirms ‘World-class’ striker keen on Manchester United move after 41 goals in 50 games

I told him to stay but he wants to join Man Utd this January – Fred confirms ‘World-class’ striker keen on Manchester United move after 41 goals in 50 games

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing up a loan deal for Galatasaray striker Mauro Icardi with the former Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain poacher open to the idea of joining the Premier League giants.

For the third January in recent memory, Manchester United could be forced to bring in an experienced centre-forward on a short-term deal.

And while that again tells you all you need to know about United’s squad-building and their financial mismanagement under the Glazers, the potential arrival of Mauro Icardi would certainly be met with far more excitement than the signings of Wout Weghorst and Odion Ighalo.

One of the finest finishers of the modern era, Icardi has scored 17 goals in 25 games for Galatasaray this season alone. One of those came against Erik ten Hag’s side, the Argentina international netting in October’s 3-2 Champions League triumph at Old Trafford.

At the age of 30, Icardi has plenty of oil left in the tank too. And while there will be reservations about whether he possesses the all-round game to really thrive in a Ten Hag team – Icardi is something of an old-school throwback to the days when genuine goal poachers patrolled the penalty area – he also offers a ruthlessness arguably no one in the current Man United squad can match.

In total, Icardi has scored 41 goals in 50 matches since joining Galatasaray for around £8.5 million back in 2022.

And the former Inter Milan captain would, Football Transfers report, be open to the idea of moving to Old Trafford. It is believed that he was keen on joining United a year ago too.

He could finally get his wish should Ten Hag manage to move on Anthony Martial.

“Among the great attackers I have faced, I highly value Icardi. Inside the area, he is almost impossible to mark,” Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini writes in his autobiography, via PSG Talk.

“Mauro against Juve has often scored, (and) it hurt me. He’s a world-class centre-forward, even if he lacks something in the collective game. He’s lethal in the air.”

‘World-class centre-forward’
Icardi is one of a number of experienced centre-forwards Man United could look to bring in on the cheap in January. Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy and RB Leipzig’s former Chelsea attacker Timo Werner are also linked.

“Icardi is a complete centre-forward,” Argentina legend Hernan Crespo tells Gazzetta dello Sport. “He can score goals with his right foot, his left foot, or his head. In the box, he moves like he owns it. Darting runs, dummies, a sudden changes of pace. All of it is aimed towards creating a goal.

“He has incredible qualities and, on top of that, a powerful physique.”